Hong Kong Sevens: where rugby is a religion
One of rugby's most illustrious events on the calendar also unveiled the brand new Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong. One fan made the trip, which was 30 years in the making
I PLAYED RUGBY for 30 years. It’s been stitched into the fabric of my life through my family, and ever since I first laced up my boots – muddy fields, broken noses, lifelong mates. And through all that time, the Hong Kong Sevens stood as something of a promised land. Every player knows it: the carnival of rugby. The ultimate party. The most colourful corner of the rugby calendar.
I was supposed to play there 20 years ago . . . a long awaited dream. We had the tickets, the squad, the momentum. But fate intervened; I badly hurt my shoulder the day before we were due to fly out. I’ve never forgotten it. And until last week, I’d never actually set foot in Hong Kong.
So walking into the brand new stadium last weekend, finally, was surreal.
The tournament has a new home now: the impressive Kai Tak Sports Park. A feat of modern architecture, designed by Brisbane-based firm Populous, it hosted the Sevens for the first time this year. The complex includes a 50,000-seat stadium, integrated retail and wellness precincts, and community spaces, all built on the site of the old Hong Kong airport. You can still feel echoes of the past, the ghosts of jumbo jets skimming rooftops on final approach, but what now stands there is a true cathedral to sport.
And the Hong Kong Sevens? It hasn’t lost a beat.
It’s rugby’s biggest party, and somehow still one of the most efficiently run events I’ve ever been to. The amount of beer consumed is genuinely astonishing. By lunchtime on day one, the taps were running full throttle and didn’t stop until the final whistle. And yet, despite the madness, the queues moved quickly, the staff were upbeat, and the energy was electric. A cumulative crowd of 110,000 fans consumed over 350,000 food and beverage items across the weekend, by some estimates.
If you’re looking for some reprieve, the Cathay Pacific lounge offers a refined, calm contrast to the organised chaos outside. Beer, champagne, wines, dumplings, and an assortment of cultural cuisines, not a bad way to reset between matches. Even better, I caught up with a couple of old rugby mates. We swapped stories, had a few laughs, and watched the tournament unfold from some of the best seats in the house.
A real goosebump moment came on finals day, not from the game, but from a Cathay Pacific jet making a flyover. Just as the action was about to kick off, the plane thundered over the stadium, low and dramatic, close enough that you could almost see the pilots waving – a perfect reminder of the airline’s deep connection to the tournament and the city.
Back on the field, the quality of rugby didn’t disappoint. In the women’s final, New Zealand were dominant, claiming the title against Australia in a commanding performance that showcased the strength and precision of the Black Ferns Sevens. The men’s final saw Argentina take down France in a thrilling showdown fast paced, fearless, and full of the explosive talent that’s made the Pumas such a force in recent years.
But it wasn’t just about what happened on the pitch.
The fan village was its own spectacle, live music, food trucks, pop-up bars, merch stands, and the kind of atmosphere that only Sevens can deliver. Costumes ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime. Everywhere you looked, there was colour, noise, and that beautiful mix of expats, locals, and rugby lovers from around the world just soaking up the sun and the energy.
What surprised me most was how family-friendly the whole event felt. Among the wild wigs, the costumes and towering beers, there were toddlers on shoulders, dads explaining the rules, mums handing out snacks to kids. It was a reminder that this game and this tournament is for everyone.
After 30 years in rugby and 40 years waiting for this moment, the Hong Kong Sevens was everything I hoped it would be and more. A place where the sport I love meets the city I never knew I needed. Loud, chaotic, joyful, and absolutely worth the wait. I wish I had come sooner – and I’ll definitely be going back.
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